A Haunting In Jericho
by Taylor King
Summary: All small towns have creepy legends...so what goes bump in the night in Jericho?  MimiStanley centric
1. They're coming to get you, Barbara

All small towns have creepy legends...so what goes bump in the night in Jericho? Rating-T... Mimi/Stanley centric

_Wednesday: 2:04 AM……_

Mimi awoke with a start. She'd heard something; she knew she'd heard something. Something had woke her out of a-. Ok, so it wasn't a sound sleep, it was fitful sleep. Why, with Stanley in town for the second evening this week, had she returned to her downstairs bedroom instead of staying upstairs in Stanley's bed? At least she had fallen asleep tonight; two nights ago when he'd been in town she'd lay awake all night and then when she heard his truck in the driveway, rolled over to pretend she was sleeping.

Now Mimi realized she was being stupid. She'd heard Bonnie, one of the cats knocking something over, one of the livestock moving around in the barn, or maybe even Stanley coming home. Or maybe it was something else….

Mimi sighed and pushed the covers off of her. She got out of bed and went to the closed bedroom door. She laid her hand on the door knob and pressed her ear to the door, listening. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open and jumped. There was nothing in front of her except the dark living room.

"You're an idiot." Mimi started to close the door, but then decided to check the rest of the house. If it was Stanley coming home, why hadn't he come to her? Because he'd expect her to be upstairs in his room, not downstairs in hers, so he'd check there first. He could be up there right now.

Mimi went into the living room and dug through the drawer for the matches. As she pulled one back to strike it against the box, she realized her hands were shaking. She dropped the box onto the table.

"What are you afraid of?" She stopped and listened. Nothing. Not a sound. There wasn't even any wind. Taking a deep breath, Mimi drew her composure, lit the candle and started up the stairs.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and surveyed the hallway. The door to Stanley's bedroom was partially open. Mimi couldn't remember if it had been open earlier or not. She went to it and pushed. The room was empty, the bed was made and there was no sign of Stanley. Crossing to the window, Mimi saw no sign of Stanley's truck in the driveway. Bonnie? Maybe.

Back down the hall, she stood with her hand against Bonnie's closed door. She didn't like the idea of walking into the girl's room unannounced. She and Bonnie were getting along, but barely. Somehow, walking into her room in the middle of the night when Bonnie had no way of hearing her knock didn't sound like the best way of solidifying their friendship. But then, on the other hand, what if Bonnie was up to something? Stanley had been furious when he'd caught her out all night with that local boy and forbid them from seeing each other, so Stanley would want to know if Bonnie was sneaking boys into the house-or sneaking out of the house herself. Taking a deep breath, Mimi turned the doorknob and eased the door open. Bonnie was sleeping. There was nothing disturbed in the room and no sign anyone had been up. Mimi closed the door again and turned to lean against it.

So she hadn't heard Bonnie or Stanley. That meant she'd heard an animal. Where were the cats? Only one of the kittens had come in when she'd locked the house before bed and their mother spent almost all of her time outside. But then there were other animals than cats. It didn't even have to be one of them, it could have been a raccoon, or a skunk, or-.

Oh, who cared what it was? Mimi cursed her stupidity and nerves as she went back downstairs. A quick check of the living room found Rev asleep on the back of the sofa. Mimi extinguished the candle. She went back to the bedroom, closed the door firmly behind her and got into bed. Mimi wrapped the blankets over her and buried her face into the pillow. What could possibly go wrong? She was on a farm in the middle of nowhere. She'd been more at risk in Adams Morgan after the bars let out. Feeling better, Mimi began to doze off.

_Sssscccrrraapppppppeeeee….sssssscccccccrrrrrrrraaaaappppppppeeee…._

Mimi's eyes flew open. Her entire body tensed. That was what had woken her! It was the sound of metal dragging across something solid, stone or brick or something similar. Maybe it was a branch dragging across one of the window. No, there was no wind. At least she didn't think so. Mimi got up and looked out of the window.

_Ssssssssccccccccrrrrrrraaaaaaapppppppppe…sssscccrrrrappppeeeee…._

The tree branches were still. The grass and the cornstalks weren't moving. It wasn't the wind.

_Sssssssccccccrrrrraaaaaaapppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee_

An animal…yes, it had to be!

_Scrape…scrape…scrape…._

Mimi threw open the bedroom door.

"Rev! Cut it-," Mimi froze, "out." Rev was in his same position on the sofa. At her noise, he stretched one foot but didn't move. Mimi looked back towards the window and searched her brain to place the sound. It almost sounded like two rocks being hit together, or of an axe striking rock. Or maybe one of those sound effects they used on television to indicate a grave being dug.

Who _cared_ what was making the sound? Mimi wasn't sleeping anymore tonight. Grabbing a blanket from the bed, she retreated to the living room.


	2. The Miner Walks At Midnight

_Wednesday: 7:13 AM... _

Stanley cut the ignition of his truck and let his head fall against the steering wheel. His head throbbed and his eyes burned from lack of sleep. He couldn't keep up like this. Ever since Gray had decided to use townspeople to organize food distribution, he and Jake had up all night labeling, sorting and dividing portion control. He suspected Gray had picked him for this job because he was planning on getting some of next year's crop. Stanley wasn't sure there would even be a next year's crop.

Getting out the truck, Stanley crossed the yard and walked up the porch steps. Opening the front door, he was as startled to see Mimi as she was to see him.

"Stanley! You're home!" Mimi jumped.

"What are you doing up?" Stanley gave her a curious look. Mimi looked anxious, like something was wrong. And frankly, he hoped it was something serious. He'd been up all night, he had chores to do and a farm to manage. If it was anything less than another bomb blast, he was leaving.

Mimi read the look of exhaustion on Stanley's face. She didn't want to inconvenience him with her small problems right now.

"Mimi?" Stanley stepped into the living room and closed the door behind him. "What's going on? Did you kill Bonnie last night?" Mimi blinked.

"What? Oh no, nothing's wrong."

"Then what are you doing up at this hour?" Stanley asked.

"I just couldn't sleep." She wasn't lying and it was easier than getting into the truth. "So I got up." Stanley nodded and sat down on the hearth. Mimi studied his form and felt bad for him. She sat down in the rocking chair across from him.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired." Stanley rested his head on his hand. "It's a long night."

"At least Gray is trying to ration out the food." Mimi offered. Stanley shrugged.

"He's not rationing it well. I don't see it lasting-. Oh, I don't want to talk about this." He sighed and looked at the fireplace. "I better get the fire started to get the chill out of here, I better get to work."

"You need to get some sleep." Mimi laid her hand on his knee. "You're exhausted and you're going to make yourself sick."

"I'm fine." Stanley stretched. "I'll take a nap after I finish the morning's chores. So how was your night? What did I miss?" Mimi thought for a moment.

"Nothing really. But maybe if you go to the barn you should check on the animals."

"Why? Were they fussing last night?" Mimi hesitated. "Mimi, what?"

"I heard something. I'm sure it was nothing, but you might want to check on the animals."

"What did you hear?"

"I don't know. It sounded like metal hitting stone. You know? Like an axe sharpening or something." To her surprise, Stanley started to laugh. "What? What?"

"Seriously Mimi," Stanley looked up at her, "who put you up to this? Bonnie? Somebody had to tell you that story." Mimi crossed her arms over her chest.

"What are you talking about? What story?" Stanley shook his head, still laughing.

"You don't know?"

"No," Mimi hissed, getting irritated in her own exhausted state. Stanley rolled his eyes.

"Never mind then." He got up. "I'll go check the livestock." Footsteps came down the stairs and Bonnie came into the room. She waved to Stanley.

"Morning," he waved back. Mimi eyed Bonnie. There was certainly no use in asking her if she'd heard anything last night. "Hey, Bonnie, did you notice anything last night?" Bonnie gave him a strange look.

"No." She shook her head. "Why?" Bonnie looked at Mimi.

"No reason." Stanley started for the front door. Bonnie glanced towards Stanley and then back at Mimi.

"What's going on?" She asked Mimi, suspiciously.

"I heard something last night is all. Were you up?" Bonnie shook her head no.

"What did you hear?"

"I don't know. Like scraping sounds. Outside. It must have been the animals." Bonnie's eyes suddenly lit up and she turned to Stanley.

"Maybe it was The Miner!" Stanley stopped at the door and rolled his eyes.

"Nah, I tried that. She doesn't know the story."

"Wait, wait, what don't I know?" Mimi looked between the brother and sister.

"She has to know!" Bonnie exclaimed excitedly. "There's no way she would have-."

"Bonnie, give it a rest." Stanley opened the door. "Ladies, I've got work to do."

"Wait, Bonnie-." Mimi caught Bonnie's arm. Bonnie turned around.

"The Miner-."

"Bonnie." Stanley warned. "That's an old story people in Jericho have been telling kids for years trying to scare them. It's stupid and there's no point in repeating it. Besides, if you're trying to scare Mimi, there's much better ways than old ghost stories." Bonnie shrugged.

"Ok." She shot Mimi a quick look before turning and strolling out of the room. Mimi stood up and crossed to Stanley.

"What is this all about?"

"Nothing," Stanley kissed her forehead. "I'll tell you some other time." Mimi frowned.

"Do you have to go into town tonight?"

"I don't know. I have to run in later, but I don't know if I'll be there all night." Mimi's frown deepened.

"I don't want you to go."

"Trust me, I don't want to either."

"Can't you get out of it?"

"There is nothing in this world I would like more." Stanley smiled. "Mimi, I've got work to do. I'll see you in a little while." He kissed her cheek and left the house.


	3. Scared ya, didn't I?

_Wednesday: 4:00 PM….._

"Thank God." Stanley glanced over his shoulder at Jake as the two ran out of the market that afternoon. They looked like two school boys who had just been let out for the summer.

"You're telling me." Jake inhaled deeply as if he were breathing in air for the first time. "If I had to spend one more night-."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Stanley leaned against the door of his truck and let his head fall back. He had never seen afternoon sunshine like todays. "If I don't get some sleep soon-."

"You aren't kidding." Jake groaned as he closed his eyes and kneaded his temples. "Gray's obsessed with slave labor."

"I thought that went out decades ago." Stanley stretched. "Oh, hey, and by the way, I wanted to tell you-Mimi heard "The Miner" last night."

"What?" Jake looked at him and laughed. "Are you serious? What'd she hear?"

"You know, the sound of his pick digging at the rocks. How funny is that?"

"Who told her that story?"

"No one." Stanley shrugged. "She just heard something."

"Hey, maybe there is something to it." Jake winked. "Was she scared?" He questioned with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, I think so. She was up when I got home this morning; actually I think she must have been up all night over it." Stanley smiled.

"That's fabulous." Jake started laughing harder. "Maybe I'll stop over later and tell her about that time you and I saw him."   
"Come on, we didn't see anything." Stanley stared up at the sky in memory. "We saw some guy who was dressed up as The Miner and was out on Halloween night trying to scare dumb kids like us."

"Right! That's not what you thought at the time! You went running home pretty fast!"

"I went running home because my dad was going to ground me forever if he caught me running around in the middle of the night looking for ghosts."

"Yeah, sure." Jake looked at Stanley and sighed heavily. "That was fun."

"It was. You know what my favorite part always was?"

"What?"

"The way Eric used to go running home every time you mentioned The Miner." Jake chuckled again.

"Yeah, instead of threatening to beat him up I'd just threaten to send him out to your house and let The Miner get him. So did you tell Mimi the story?"

"Are you kidding? No way! I'd like to sleep again sometime. I suspect that if she hears the story of The Miner, I'll be up all night, every night."

"Is that really so bad?" Jake smirked.

"Watch it." Stanley glanced over at him, amused. "All right, I'm going home."

"Me too." Jake pushed himself off the truck and turned. "Hey, tell Mimi I want to talk to her the next time she's in town!"

"Don't you dare!" Stanley warned, laughing, as he opened the driver's door and got in.

"I could stop over later!"

"No you can't!" Stanley started the engine.

_Wednesday: 4:24 PM….._

Mimi entered the kitchen where Bonnie was slicing carrots beside the sink. Mimi slumped against the counter beside her. Bonnie glanced up and raised an eyebrow.

"Want some help?" She offered. Bonnie didn't respond but she pushed a vegetable peeler and three more carrots over. She didn't really want the help, but she could never turn down the opportunity when her sort of sister-in-law made an attempt at being domestic.

"Peel these." Mimi nodded and reached for the items.

"So, Bonnie? Can I ask you something?"

"What?" Bonnie put down the knife she was using and wiped her hands on a dish towel.

"What were you and Stanley talking about this morning?" Bonnie gave her a curious look. "About some miner?" Bonnie smiled and her eyes began to gleam with excitement as it dawned on her what Mimi was talking about.

"The Miner's Ghost." Bonnie nodded and started to return nonchalantly to the carrots.

"Wait, what?" Mimi grabbed her arm. "What ghost?"

"Everybody in town knows that story; it's one of Jericho's oldest." Bonnie shrugged.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." Mimi told her and shook her head. Bonnie knew Mimi's expression and suspected that Mimi was trying to convince herself of that fact rather than informing Bonnie of a well known fact.

"Oh no, The Miner's real," Bonnie challenged. "This miner was supposedly killed in a mine collapse back in the 1800s. People say you can still hear him digging out in the woods. Some people have even seen him wandering around the fields and woods around our house and on a lot of other farms outside of town." Mimi looked interested.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Bonnie smiled, "it's true. I swear, I wouldn't make it up." She turned and went back to the cutting board.

"So have you ever seen him?" Mimi pressed gingerly. Bonnie shook her head.

"Nope, never saw him. I know people who say they have, but I never did. Anyway, you're the one who heard him last night."

"I heard raccoons in the barn." Mimi assured her, but Bonnie smirked.

"What exactly did you hear?"

"I don't know, digging? Scrapping?"

"Yeah, you heard him digging for his treasures."

"Huh???"

"The Miner wasn't just a miner. He was also supposedly a thief who stole valuables from town and hid them in his mine shaft, but everyone thought he was crazy so no one had the nerve to go looking. Even after the mine collapsed, no one would go near it. So all his treasure was buried. Now when you can hear him, it's the sound of him digging for his treasure." Mimi rolled her eyes.

"So now you're telling me that the mine _is_ out here? Outside _this_ house?"

"I don't know." Bonnie shrugged. "No one does."

"Then how do you know where this miner roams?" Mimi wasn't buying this story now. It was getting ridiculous.

"No one knows for sure where the shaft was. It was out here in this area somewhere, but nobody knows the exact location."

"Why not?"

"Because no one would go near it. And when the shaft collapsed, The Miner got hit on the head. He got himself out, but he didn't remember anything. People say he lived in the woods injured for awhile until he died. Now that he's dead, he still doesn't remember where the shaft and the treasure are so he wanders all over the area outside of town looking for it."

"You've got to be kidding me." Mimi said blankly. This story was remarkably disappointing. Mimi had been expected some terrible tale of death, maybe murder and a tormented spirit who couldn't rest. A few random noises and a shadowy figure roaming around the countryside didn't sound so bad.

"That's not the end of it," Bonnie promised. "The Miner is very possessive of his treasure. If he sees you, he'll follow you and kill you with his axe." Mimi's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Seriously?" Bonnie nodded. Truthfully, she didn't mind Mimi so much anymore. In fact, there were moments where she almost _liked_ her, but in her teenage mind, she was enjoying the fact that her brother's big city girlfriend was hypnotized with a small town ghost legend. And because of that fact, Bonnie wasn't going to let any detail slip through the cracks.

"Seriously. And that's not the worst of it. Supposedly, The Miner kept a list of every person he ever saw. If he saw them near his property, he made note of it. Now if his ghost sees you, he keeps track too. And he doesn't care where you go, or where you hide, he'll find you. Eventually, he'll kill you."

"No way!"

"Ask Stanley. There have been people who have disappeared this far out of town. No one knows where they go." That was one Mimi hadn't seen coming. She wasn't expecting Jericho to have mysterious disappearances on the books-or for this miner to be so accurate in keeping records.

"Has he ever _really _killed anyone?" Now Bonnie could see that Mimi believed the story, and that was all she had really wanted to accomplish in the first place. Now she was tired of talking about it and wanted to get back to preparing dinner.

"I don't know. But what do you think happened to all those people who disappeared out here?" It took Mimi a moment to realize there were goose bumps on her arms.

"Ok, you're just making this up. You're trying to scare me."

"No way," Bonnie exclaimed, "it happens. And besides, Stanley's right, if I was trying to scare you, there are much better ways that this." Mimi jumped when she heard the front door open and looked to see Stanley came in.

"You're home." Mimi let the excitement she felt at seeing him mask the nerves she was feeling after hearing The Miner's story.

"Yep," Stanley smiled. He was relieved to be home and even more relieved to see her, but with Bonnie in the room he fought back his urge to pull her into his arms.

"Are you home for the night?" Mimi asked hopefully.

"Looks that way," Stanley laid his hand lightly against her cheek and pulled away when Bonnie turned from the counter. "Hey." Stanley called to her. "What's for dinner?"

"Food." Bonnie responded sarcastically and headed for the pantry. Stanley looked at Mimi and shook his head. Taking advantage of Bonnie's absence, Mimi leaned up and kissed him.

"It's vegetable soup."

"Oh, good."

"Not really. It's canned. We were just going to throw in a few fresh vegetables to try and make it better."

"Close enough." Stanley sighed, letting his forehead come to rest against hers and his hands against her waist. Mimi rested her hands on his chest.

"I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Stanley leaned down to kiss her again, but the two broke apart when Bonnie returned and clicked her tongue in annoyance.


End file.
